Netflix to stream new DreamWorks shows

This morning Netflix and DreamWorks announced a partnership that will bring original animated TV series to the streaming service. DreamWorks will base the new shows on existing franchises such as Shrek, Madagascar, and How to Train Your Dragon, and include over 300 hours of new content on Netflix. New programming will also be based on classic animated film characters such as Casper the Friendly Ghost, Frosty the Snowman, and George of the Jungle from the Classic Media library. (DreamWorks acquired Classic Media for $155 million last summer.) The new shows will start airing across all Netflix markets sometime in 2014. Although the announcement did not mention any exclusivity, Netflix appears to be the only distributor at this point. This will be Netflix’s largest original first-run content deal to date.